


Can I Handle the Seasons of My Life?

by halfpastanyway



Category: Dimension 20 (Web Series), Dimension 20: Fantasy High
Genre: Angst, Future Fic, Gorgug's POV, It's real sadness hours, Multi, Please keep in mind that all relationships are over, it's like the worst case possible future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 17:33:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,275
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23570884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/halfpastanyway/pseuds/halfpastanyway
Summary: The Bad Kids aren't really kids anymore. They've grown up, and grown apart, and meeting again after all these years is painful.
Relationships: Ayda Aguefort/Figueroth Faeth, Gorgug Thistlespring/Original Female Character, Kristen Applebees/Tracker O'Shaughnessey
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	Can I Handle the Seasons of My Life?

We’re sitting in a circle on those plastic chairs that they have in classrooms. Mine is too small, I’m worried I’ll break it.

I have no idea what I’m doing here.

That’s not true, Augefort invited me, saying there was an emergency. So I came.

I just didn’t expect them to be here. Just after everything.

I’m surprised we're all in the same country.

We’re waiting for Augefort. Last night a mostly undead scarlet macaw crashed through one of my windows bearing a letter saying that it was an emergency and it was about The Nightmare King and I was to arrive at the academy at 1:42 on the dot.

So I did.

I wonder if Sotri will want to come to Augefort when she’s old enough, be an adventurer like I was.

I miss it sometimes. The heat of battle, the rage.

But things happen. My mom got sick, and my dad had died. So I left touring with Fig, and came home to take care of her. I don’t regret it. If I hadn’t come home then I wouldn't have had met Helena, and I wouldn't have gotten married, and I wouldn’t have had Sotri. And those were the best things that ever happened to me. Even though I still blame myself for what happened with Fig. Maybe if I had stayed, and she had had someone who cared about her, had a real friend, things wouldn’t have gone the way they did.

“I was sorry to hear about your wife.” I look up. Adaine’s piercing blue eyes look back at mine. I haven’t seen her in a while. Not since she overthrew the Court of Stars. I suppose all that governing stuff would make her pretty busy. I hope she’s finding some time for herself.

“Thanks.” I never know what to say when people say things like that. I never really know what to say at all.

“What happened to your wife?” says Riz, with bloodshot eyes, and familiar bluntness. It’s been a really long time, I guess. Helena died three years ago. Riz was at the wedding, twelve years ago. They all were. I actually think that’s the last time I saw Fabian. I know he and Adaine got into a fight, and at that point, she wasn’t living in Fallinel yet. 

"She, uh, died.” Everyone is looking at me now. How many of them didn’t know? I know Kristen knew. She’s the only one other than me who stayed in Elmville. She’s also the only one other than me who got married.

I thought her and Tracker’s wedding was really nice. Adaine thought they were being idiots, that twenty-one was too young to get married and they wouldn’t last. I guess she was right. I guess oracles usually are about the future. They got divorced, and Kristen’s upset because Tracker won’t let her see their kids. I see Gabe and Dawn and Tracker at the grocery store sometimes. I nod at them but I don’t stop because I would feel like I was betraying Kristen. Even though she and I don’t really talk anymore.

And Adaine knows. I don’t know how, I didn’t send them all letters like, “Just FYI, Helena died, I am a widower with a seven-year-old now.” She can see the future. Maybe that’s how? Did she see it coming?

Fig looks at me. “Fuck, Gorgug. That sucks. I’m really sorry.”

I don’t know where Fig’s living now. But the tip of one of her horns was snapped off, which wasn’t there the last time I saw her.

The last time I saw Fig. She had a break between tours and stopped in Elmville to visit her mom. She sent me a text saying she was in town and could we maybe have dinner. The evening was going really nicely. I had made a roast chicken, and Fig played with Sotri on the carpet. She’s always been really good with kids. Later, once Sotri was tucked in bed, and I was washing the dishes, Helena found her passed out in the bathroom. Dragonspice or something. We put her in the van and I tried to drive her to Saint Owen’s but on the way, she woke up and started yelling about how she couldn’t go to Saint Owen’s, something about a doctor named Asha. And then she cast a spell and vanished out of the back of the van.

“Thanks.” I try to smile at her, even though I’m always worried that my tusks make it look like I’m being aggressive when I smile.

Riz looks sad, which his ears twitching slightly. He lost his dad pretty young, just like Sotri lost her mom.

“How’s Sklonda?” I really feel empathy for another single parent. Bleh. Even after three years, it’s still weird to think of myself as a single parent.

“I uh, don’t really know. She seems good.” Some of the gentleness I remember from Riz seems to be gone. He was always paranoid and analytical, but in high school he had friends who he cared about and who cared about him. I wonder if he’s got friends in Bastion City. He was a police officer for a while, working under his mom, in Elmville. But then he was fired, for forging evidence. I don’t know what he’s doing now, just that he lives in Bastion City.

“Do any of you know why we’re here? I got called away from something particularly important for this.” Fabian interrupts. He looks more and more like his dad. I can’t believe he’s almost forty and still adventuring. Although, I guess half-elves live much longer then humans or orcs. I know Adaine will outlive us all. I wonder how she feels about that.

“Nah. Toucan flew through my window and wanted me to come so I did,” says Fig.

“Yeah, uh, no. I dunno.” Kristen tucks a stray bit of curl behind her ear.

“It’s not as if I have anything better to do,” Riz says.

I shake my head.

Adaine tilts her hers. “I have an idea, but I think it’s best to wait for Augefort.”

Fabian sighs dramatically and looks back at his nails.

“Can I just say something?” Fig blurts. “I think it’s really cool that we’re getting the band back together.”

“Yeah but the movies about getting the band back together are mostly sequels. And are we really gonna pretend The Blues Brothers 2000 is as good as The Blues Brothers?” Kristen is as quick with a pop culture reference as ever. It’s familiar, and that’s nice.

It’s 1:54, which is weird. I’ve never known her to be late before, even by a couple of minutes.

We sit quietly in our too small chairs. (Execpt for Riz. Riz’s chair fits him just right. ) 

The silence is kinda awkward, like we don't know how to talk to each other anymore It’s really been so long since I felt like these were my people, even after all we’ve been through together.

The door swings open on its own and Ayda (Principal Augefort?) walks in. Her glasses are fogged up and she pauses in the door to wipe them clean.

When Aurthur Augefort went missing, the school bylaws said that only an Augefort could be principal of the Augefort Adventuring Academy, so Ayda took over. I think she likes it?

“The Bad Kids,” she greets us.

I’m not very insightful, but even I can see a look flash over Fig’s face. “There’s been an incident. It involves a magic book, Zayn Darkshadow, and at least one of your old adventures. I require your assistance. Will you help me?”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I promise I'll write something happier next time. The title is, of course, from Landslide by Fleetwood Mac. I really felt it when I was writing this. Also, let me know if you think my characterization was off, I really struggled with it. You can find me on Tumblr @zeldadonovan


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